Rhode Island History Study Guide

**Rhode Island Government and History** **What is the origin of Rhode Island\'s Name?** Rhode Island\'s name originates from a 1664 letter in which an Italian explorer refers to Aquidneck island as the Isle of Rhodes, indicating that it would be called Rhode Island. Than, in 1663 it was renamed Rh...

**Rhode Island Government and History** **What is the origin of Rhode Island\'s Name?** Rhode Island\'s name originates from a 1664 letter in which an Italian explorer refers to Aquidneck island as the Isle of Rhodes, indicating that it would be called Rhode Island. Than, in 1663 it was renamed Rhode Island and Providence Plantations **Who are the first Rhode Islanders?** The first Rhode Islanders were members of the Wampanoag, Nipmuc, and Pequot tribal nations. **What did the RI charter of 1663 guarantee?** - - **Describe what happened in the following years:** **1636:** Roger Willams is granted land use by the Narragansett Chiefs, Chief Canoonicus, and Chief Miantomi **1772:** Rhode Islanders attack and burn the British ship the Gaspee. This was the first armed act of rebellion. **1776:** Rhode Island was the first colony to renounce allegiance to the king **1841:** Dorr Rebellion leads to the expansion of voting rights **1917:** Rhode Island is the first New England state to allow women to vote for presidential electors **1936:** Rhode Island is the first state to use voting machines in every district **What did the following women do?** **Elizabeth Buffum Chace:** Co-founder of RI women\'s suffrage and helped create a state school for the homeless. **Christina Carteaux Bannister** Equal rights activist who founded the home for aged women of color. **Ann Smith Franklin** Country's first female newspaper editor. **Where did people meet before the state house was built?** Before the construction of the State House, people gathered in smaller state houses. Five locations existed in Providence, Newport, Bristol, East Greenwich, and South Kingstown. They rotated to ensure the government was available to the people and that no part of the state had more power than another. **What kind of information can you find at the State Library?** The state library contains books about Rhode Island history and US history. **What two chambers make up the general assembly?** 1. 2. **How many senators does Rhode Island have and why?** Rhode Island has 38 senators because of the RI constitution and census for about 1 senator for every 30,000 people. **How many members are there in the RI general assembly? Why?** The RI general assembly has 75 members because of the RI constitution and census for about 1 representative for every 15,000 people/ **How does a bill become a law in Rhode Island?** 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. **How can you participate in government?** 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. **Writing** **Why was granting freedom of religion considered a lively experiment?** **R**eligious freedom was a lively experiment because other colonies required **a**ll people to follow a particular religion to maintain order. **T**o participate in government civically, one had to be a certain religion. **RAT** **When the general assembly was first created, what did it consist of? How often did** **they meet?** **T**he general assembly consisted of representatives and assistants from each town **W**ho met twice a year. **TW** **How did Rhode Islanders celebrate their charter?** **A**t the governor\'s inauguration, **T**he charter was held up and read for all the colonies assembled freeman to see and hear **AT** **Why did Rhode Island oppose allowing the government under the AOC to collect 5% duty?** **R**hode Island did not want to give up its sovereignty and **F**elt that the central government didn\'t have the right to lay and collect taxes under the **A**rticles of confederation. **D**ebts from the war and distribution of trade made RI rely on collection of tariffs **F**rom incoming trade to help pay debts **G**iving this up would lead to an increase in property tax **W**hich would badly affect all of RI's people. **RFADFGW - Really fire and delicious fries, gross watermelon** **Why did Rhode Island not want to ratify the constitution?** **I**nitially the country party saw no benefit of giving up the right to collect tariffs on imports and **I**t\'s state sovereignty to a centralized government **A**nother concern was that there was no bill of rights or ban of slavery. **IIA - Incredible Italian anchovies** **What made Rhode Island ratify the constitution?** **P**arts of the state like Providence and Newport threatened to break off from the state and **T**he national government threatened to treat Rhode Island like a foreign nation **B**y taxing all goods that come from RI and prohibiting trade from RI to the US. **PTB - Perfectly tasty bacon**